Imagine 4,500 students walking into your multi-campus university to enroll. Now, imagine all of them doing this online. It would be a much more manageable scenario – unless your infrastructure isn’t robust enough to take it on....
Are enterprises that are adopting Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) networks aware of the additional security measures they might require? This profile, by Forrester Consulting, examines the answer to that question...
As IT agility becomes more important, enterprises must work closely with business partners to deliver services faster than ever. But what options do you have for cloud services that can help you determine where you sit in transforming your operational model?...
The Internet broke down the brick-and-mortar boundaries of physical office spaces. Now, when you combine the wide reach of the global Internet with the security of an MPLS-based IP VPN and mobile access options, your office has officially evolved...
Hackers are nothing if not resourceful. First they wormed and Trojan-horsed their way into our PCs. And now security experts are telling us that they have set their sights on mobile devices. The proliferation of smartphones has now given rise to...
As you pursue security solutions for your mobile workforce needs, you will no doubt realize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution set in mobile security. Rather, it is a mix of meeting multiple, differing requirements amid many diverse...
To support international business operations, corporate IT needs a fast and reliable network connecting widely distributed sites. This profile examines why North American-based multinational corporations tend to turn to Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) IP VPNs...
Today’s “office” is nothing like it once was. Instead of a fixed workspace with a phone and email as your only communications tools, you can now fully collaborate with customers, suppliers and colleagues from wherever you happen to be working using MPLS-based IP VPN networking....
Combining disparate hardware, software and network components into a secure, comprehensive, dynamic IT environment that keeps pace with your business changes has become an all-consuming job. AT&T Network Sourcing was created to help...
What are the advantages of deploying unified communications (UC) using a cloud service and considerations when seeking a service provider? This Q&A with Melanie Posey, an IDC research director...
The rise in global e-commerce has created a dynamic system that links supply and demand across continents. But more connection points and more points of entry introduce greater vulnerability to corporate networks. Most IT departments do not have...
Industry regulations require Ochsner to protect patient information. As healthcare professionals increasingly use personal communication devices in patient care, compliance with data security requirements required increased vigilance and new strategies. Ochsner needed an easy-to-manage way to secure health-system-related emails on these devices. ...
What does a textbook case for deploying a Virtual Private Network with Voice over IP look like? Take a rapidly growing global business with a mishmash of legacy network systems, add the need for business-critical collaborative communications, and you’ve got a snapshot of what Promethean, a global provider of advanced teaching and learning tools, was faced with not too long ago....
Today, everything’s going mobile at a dizzying pace – with cell phones, tablets, PDAs, laptops, Wi-Fi networks and virtual private networks (VPNs). Business on the move is business as usual. Here’s the latest forecast from IDC, which predicts that the world's mobile worker population will pass the one billion mark this year, to form more than a third of the world's workforce by 2013....
A growing number of information workers are regularly working outside of the office. Your business can’t afford to rely solely on “plain old” phone calls and emails — to stay ahead of its fast-moving competitors, your firm needs a better, more immediate way...
Like most companies in the construction industry, Hayward Lumber has been sharply affected by the economic downturn, especially the fall-off in new building activity. Hayward made the strategic decision to trim operations and expenses...
Business continuity planning is essential for all types of scenarios, ranging from flu pandemics to system failures caused by software upgrades. For the seventh straight year, AT&T has updated this comprehensive guide, designed to give you the information you need...
Healthcare is a vast business that touches every American. Consumer demand, emerging technology, and inefficient and redundant procedures have contributed to rising healthcare costs and have resulted in difficult choices about how to pay for these services. ...
Changing customer needs and increasing volatility in business travel requirements made it increasingly important that CWT boost its operational flexibility. The company’s operating model, based on call centers staffed with full-time travel counselors, created a challenge...
Lawn Ranger needed to find a better way to track and manage its mobile work crews performing hundreds of tasks, particularly during winter months when workloads can be unpredictable....
We’re taught very early on in our business and professional lives that one of the best ways to cut costs is to go directly to the primary source. But what if there was a situation where it made sense to use a middle man? Such is the case when it comes to purchasing and using cloud services. According to the November 2012 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of AT&T,...
The mobile game is changing. Users are no longer willing to settle for simple, passive applications. The new expectation is for apps to act as “systems of engagement” that provide users with access to the information and functionality necessary to solve problems and address immediate needs. The role that these systems of engagement perform is...
Today, when people discuss cloud, it’s mainly centered around the compute and storage aspects of cloud architecture. "The network" is typically mentioned and will play a key part as cloud evolves into the next phase of development. Which means, as businesses expand their cloud infrastructure, enterprise networking will play a larger role. You’ll...
Every day corporate networks are faced with increasingly complex threats to IT security. But there’s an entirely new approach that can help you minimize risks. It’s called “Orbital Security”—and it just might save your company’s data. Orbital Security allows you to create an IT security strategy based on the relationships your company has...
What motivates you to change? Is it a valued opinion, a trend, or a necessity? I’d consider myself somewhat a creature of habit and I fall victim to my routine quite often. It often takes a wake-up call to force me to change my habits. As luck, or a lack of luck, would have it, last week I was hampered by a computer crash. You know, two full business days of working with IT to fix your laptop while having limited access to the files...
Hybrid clouds enable the flow of information between private and public cloud networks. Private clouds talk to public clouds, and vice versa, and the hybrid cloud is born. On the heels of the OpenStack Summit in Portland, Oregon, and recent announcements from Microsoft, now is a good time to address the “state-of-the-state” of enterprise hybrid clouds....
Mobile and cloud are the foundation of next generation computing. At this month’s Cloud Connect event, Lopez Research designed a conference track to discuss how mobile and cloud computing would combine to change security, data management and application development. Increasingly, the world of mobile is focused on apps. The enterprise market has finally caught app fever....
As your business races to execute on its cloud strategy and drive adoption, you may think its time to unbuckle the seatbelt as you reach cruising altitude. Not so fast. Turbulence may be just ahead if you’re not incorporating a strategy that includes...
I recently spoke at TEDMED13, the healthcare and medical focused conference of the broader TED organization. Now, I’ve been fortunate to meet some amazing people, but I have to admit that I was a little star struck. The thrill of shaking hands...
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a technology supported by a large ecosystem. The key players consist of telecom operators, manufacturers (readers, tags, smart cards, semiconductors, and consumer electronics), mobile device OEM, system integrators,...
For the past two decades, I’ve been focused on the success of women-owned businesses. In 2008, I wrote a book called The Girls’ Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business. At the time, fewer than three percent of women-owned firms had reached $1...
Over the years, I have had an opportunity to host and participate in a number of client- and vendor-sponsored briefings. With the trends that have been occurring over the past five years regarding cloud and other managed services, it is always interesting to observe the interactions between the technologist and the business owner participating in these events. It is clear that the market is signaling a shift, and business owners are...
Have you ever noticed that your Facebook News Feed is the digital equivalent to “It’s a Wonderful Life?” Perhaps you’ve likened your Instagram stream to that of “Lifestyles of the Digital Rich and Internet Famous.” In each network, and across multiple social streams, you’re fed a visual buffet of travel, food, fashion, and celebrations. In assemblage, they tell the story of life well lived, or at least a life well...
Today, collaboration means more than sending emails or leaving voice messages for co-workers, putting decisions and projects on hold while you wait for their replies. Now, tools like audio, video, and web conferences are enabling real-time interactions between employees, partners, suppliers, and even customers....
According to a May 2012 survey by Constant Contact, over three-quarters of small businesses agree on their primary goal: attracting new customers. Unfortunately, a more troubling statistic shows that many small business owners are missing out on a vital opportunity....
One of the most confusing aspects of the rapidly evolving cloud marketplace is the definition and value of private clouds. The term has more than one connotation. As a consequence, measuring the business benefits of this method of deploying the cloud can be challenging. The confusion arises from the fact that private clouds can be deployed either by an enterprise behind their firewall or by...
When I worked in corporate America, I managed a national sales force. Because the majority of our clients were big brands, we frequently participated in the major industry trade shows many of which were held in Las Vegas....
Are you in business to make money or lose it? For most people, the answer to this question is a no brainer! As a security professional, I truly believe that security can impact your bottom line. It is key to protecting your most vulnerable business asset – your data. If your business has anything worth protecting, whether it’s money, intellectual property, or a trusted...
In a recent Infoworld article, Matt Prigge brought up a host of valid points about the way we market the cloud. Is it a disservice to the small business owner without an IT staff to overly simplify the concepts behind our wares? Surely it sells an account, but at what cost? I’m forever walking the line between too much detail and not enough, but what if the vendor doesn’t actually provide the service as promised? What if, in spite of...
Security and risk awareness have been part of the lives of humans from the very earliest days. At its core, security focuses on keeping things safe. In a business environment, complete safety can restrict access and availability, and is therefore impractical. Focusing solely on security, without balancing associated risk, is unrealistic, as businesses need to take certain risks to grow and be profitable. Let’s look at the history of...
Recently, a colleague sent me an opinion piece by Wendy Kopp that appeared on CNN’s website: Computers can't replace real teachers. The point of Ms. Kopp’s article is extremely well made: Although powerful and exciting when applied in measured and meaningful ways, technology can never be allowed to overshadow the human element in the education equation – our nation’s teachers....
I read almost daily in the news about cyber attacks on U.S. banks, infrastructure, government agencies, and businesses. In fact, government agencies saw a more than 650% increase in cyber security incidents from 2006 to 2010, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO reports that a main reason for the increase is the failure of agencies to fully implement their IT security programs....
Last week I discussed the best cloud apps for managing your contacts and business cards, but what about everything else you do while on the go? Can you use the cloud to be more productive in other areas? Of course you can! There are apps that leverage the cloud to do almost everything you do online...
The Boston Marathon. I was there to cheer on our friend “Kendra,” a many-time marathon runner and a strong performer in her age group. Our group (serious fans armed with cameras, gifts and fun) had made signs: “Whine now, wine later,” “We Love You Kendra,” and more. Of course, we also carried mobile devices to stay connected with each other and the event....
Now that Google+ has been around for a few years, the benefits have come into sharper focus. Most notably, this rapidly-growing social network is proving to be a popular, integrated platform for small business. The brilliance of Google+ lies in...